Page 28 - Arkansas Snake Guide
P. 28

TERRESTRIAL SNAKES



















                                             SUZANNE COLLINS
          Rough Green Snake
                        Opheodrys aestivus
          Range  Statewide.
          Description  Keeled scales. This slender-bodied, bright
          green snake has a white or cream-colored belly. The tail
          is very long and makes up almost 40 percent of the total
          body length. The tail is used as an anchor when the snake is
          moving through the branches of bushes and brush. Young
          resemble adults. Adults average 22-32 inches in length.
          Habitat  and  Habits    Rough  green  snakes  are  active
          during  the  day  from April  to  early  October.  Our  most
          arboreal  (tree-dwelling)  snake,  it  prefers  the  bushes
          or shrubs along the edge of streams and swamps.  Also
          found on open brushy ridges. Breeding can occur in spring
          or  autumn  and  from  1-10  eggs  are  laid  in  June-July.  It
          specializes in feeding on caterpillars, grasshoppers, crickets,
          dragonflies, damselflies and spiders.
     28
   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33